The Bling Ring 2011 * * * 1/2 Stars

Director: Michael Lembeck
Year: 2011
Rated PG (TV)
Rating: * * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Austin Butler, Yin Chang, Tom Irwin

Arriving two years before Sofia Coppola's 2013 version, The Bling Ring is an above average, absorbing TV movie. As something that chronicles a bunch of Hollywood brats stealing possessions from celebrity houses, "Ring" is swiftly paced, well acted (especially by its lead, Austin Butler), and dutifully told in terms of the old adage being, "crime doesn't pay." Now it doesn't quite end as compelling as it should. Why? Because you don't ultimately find out the outcomes of most of the characters (unless you know the true story beforehand). Plus, there is an overused device in which certain cast members reflect back on the scandalous events that took place (this is done documentary style like 2006's Alpha Dog). 

Regardless, the entertainment value in this 2011 Lifetime flick is
through the roof. And it's clever in the way it uses today's technology
(social media in the form of Facebook) to lead to the demise of the
teenage thieves that are clearly in denial. 

Of note: Look for Jennifer Grey (yes the girl from Dirty Dancing) in a
surprisingly strong role playing the "ring" leader's mother. Also, you
have well known TV director Michael Lembeck behind the camera. His
style is effective without being too flashy.

Written by Jesse Burleson

Drive 2011 * * * Stars

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Year: 2011
Rated: R
Rating: * * * Stars     Cole's Rating: * Star
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Albert Brooks, Carey Mulligan

Ryan Gosling is the main character in this strange, dreamlike, and relentlessly violent film that seems to have come out in theaters 25-30 years after it was filmed. I say that because it screams early 80's in the worst way. Now come on everybody it wasn't made in the 80's (Gosling would've have been in his toddler years), but everything from the soundtrack to the opening credits suggests that director Nicolas Winding Refn wanted that type of feel.

Drive tells the story of a Hollywood stuntman (played by Gosling) named "Driver" (his name is never mentioned in the film) who's a stunt driver by day and a getaway driver by night. His third job is working in a auto chop shop for Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston). Shannon is connected to a mobster named Bernie Rose (played by Albert Brooks). Bernie sees potential in "Driver" and has his people build a stock car for "Driver" to race (Gosling's character might also have a fourth career in the works). "Driver" also connects with a young woman named Irene (Carey Mulligan) who's husband, just out of prison, gets called back to the criminal life to do a heist. Things get complicated when the heist goes wrong. Without giving too much away, all the characters above mentioned, are all involved/connected and that's when the film gets darker. It basically becomes a completely different yarn that you thought it would be.

But lets get back to the star, Ryan Gosling. As I said earlier, his character has no name. Throughout the film, his screen presence suggest that he was born to play this role. He holds a toothpick in his mouth, doesn't say much, and acts with his eyes and facial ticks. It's an underplayed performance but it's darn good. He owns the screen so much that when he's not on camera, you'd think the movie committed a felony. However, when the camera is not on him, it's on Albert Brooks. I'd have to say the Brooks performance shocked me. I'm used to seeing him in a comedic role, but after seeing Drive, you'd think he'd do the bad guy thing more often. He plays an absolutely horrific, nasty, despicable human being so brilliantly, it's ridiculous that he didn't get nominated for an academy award for best supporting actor. 

To be honest, I would have given Drive a four star rating had it sustained its brilliance for its full running time of 100 minutes. But after one of the most exhilarating opening scenes in movie history, the film peaked too early. It wasn't what I expected. Granted, it is a slick and entertaining vehicle for the director and the stars involved, but the concept of a car chase here and there followed by scenes of brutal killings and uncomfortable silences between the characters is in my mind what kept Drive from greatness. The violence is this film is more of a form of art than your typical movie violence. It's more gratuitous than any of the key scenes call for. The director obviously didn't care what anybody thought. It's was his vision and he ran with it. Take Drive for what its worth. If you got out a blender, turned it on, and threw in Repo Man (1984), Taxi Driver (1976), and the recent Tom Cruise flick, Jack Reacher (2012), this is the concoction you would come up with. As a movie it's retro, it's disturbing, it's mysterious. Ultimately, it's the movie equivalent of a car accident that you can't look away from. I recommend it, just not for every movie going demographic. Lets just say Drive is your ticket, if you can handle the wheel.

Written by Jesse Burleson

The Lincoln Lawyer 2011 * * * Stars

Director: Brad Furman
Year: 2011

Rated R

Rating: * * * Stars

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe

With a juicy script, strong performances, and harmless TV cop show overtones, The Lincoln Lawyer is an entertaining, fly by the seat of your pants ride. It also represents some of the best acting you'll ever see by Matthew McConaughey. He plays with confidence and aggression, a morally misguided defense attorney representing some shady (mostly guilty) clients. On the way to his court appointments or meetings with his defendants, he rides in a Lincoln Town Car (with his own personal driver I might add).

Involving and absorbing yet containing a few plot holes (not to mention unsure character motives), this film nevertheless glides by on its slick, no nonsense approach. What The Lincoln Lawyer doesn't answer though, is whether or not to root for or feel any sympathy towards McConaughey's character (Mickey Haller). If you can get past that, basically you're left with a courtroom drama, a lightweight character study, and a hip hop music video all rolled up into one. I just wish that it didn't conclude without tying up a few loose ends first. However, The Lincoln Lawyer is, what I think to be a great "movie night" selection. Let's just call it the Citizen Kane of nightly rentals.

Written by Jesse Burleson

Moneyball 2011 * * * * Stars

Director: Bennett Miller
Year: 2011
Rated  PG-13
Rating: * * * * Stars
Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Let's me just start this review by saying that if The Social Network (2010) were a baseball movie, it would be the equivalent of Moneyball, my pick for best film of 2011. Both vehicles are intelligent, dialogue driven, and brilliantly acted by the leads. And what I didn't notice till recently was that both films were written by the same guy, Aaron Sorkin of TVs West Wing fame. His screenplays crackle with biting information about the world the characters inhabit.

From his razor sharp script and director Bennet Miller's careful direction, comes Moneyball, a film depicting the true story of GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) taking his 2002 Oakland A's to the playoffs (20 game win streak) with a less than talented roster and minimal payroll. He gets help from Yale grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) and the two of them compile a roster of players based on unusual hidden stats that a lot of other teams don't pay attention to. This whole concept is based on a book Hill's character reads entitled Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. To the dismay of team manager Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman who may be the world's best character actor), the team starts out slow and makes his job miserable. But over time, the A's go on an unflappable streak and end up winning an enormous amount of contests for a standard 162 game season.

What really stands out is that Moneyball is different from most baseball films. It goes behind the scenes. You don't see a lot of the game being played. You see people talk about baseball. You get the ins and outs of the business. Normally, this would be looked at as some kind of documentary, but the film doesn't let that happen.  It expertly delves into the mind of Pitt's character while not quite letting the viewer see the wheels in his head turning. It's about the performances and Pitt as Beane garnered him an Oscar nomination that was well deserved. In fact, all the actors make it look real, they make scenes stick. You really wonder if half of them were actually working for Major League Baseball.

Ultimately if you want to be inspired or moved by the power of movies, Moneyball is an exercise in intelligent, good old fashioned film making. It's a HOME RUN!

Written by Jesse Burleson